


Third Eye

by peachoop, pennysweets



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, F/F, Focus on friendship and healing, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Roommates, Slow Burn, Trans Character, just tagged endgames, relationships are there cuz theyll come along lol, relationships will develop - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-12
Updated: 2020-03-01
Packaged: 2021-02-27 21:20:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22672444
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/peachoop/pseuds/peachoop, https://archiveofourown.org/users/pennysweets/pseuds/pennysweets
Summary: “I’m not sure how we got here, but I think I’m okay.”“Yeah... Me too.”Beauregard starting her life anew and is entirely too lonely in this new world.Caleb’s still holding tightly onto the past and wants to feel something other than regret.Two roommates and their misadventures in the journey of life and college.
Relationships: Beauregard Lionett & Caleb Widogast, Jester Lavorre/Beauregard Lionett, Mollymauk Tealeaf & Yasha, Past Fjord/Caleb Widogast, Yeza Brenatto/Nott
Comments: 7
Kudos: 59





	1. Chapter 1

Sauntering into her apartment building with a prideful step, Beauregard hikes up the steps to her third floor apartment. Confidently unlocking the front door and walking in. 

She closes the door and locks it once again, slowly dropping to her knees. It’s so hard to do anything now, her motivation was dwindling and the feelings of loneliness had swallowed her whole.

In an apartment far too big for her and way too expensive all for the sake of convenience.

The apartment complex was only a 20 minute walk from campus and she was hardly ever there. From going to the campus gym to work to drink to hook up with some girl who she won’t remember the name of, all to come back to an empty home that echoes with every step.

It’s so bare, she's been here only a few months and it’s her freshman year of college! Finally having the opportunity to get out of that house with people who never fucking believed in her, the silent disdain for her existence. 

From a full home with no love present to a barren one with overwhelming expectations.

Beau can’t afford this apartment. It’s just a little too out of her price range. Well, if she cut back on eating and picked up more shifts and only came home to shower and sleep then, yeah she could probably live here.

She needs a roommate, she’s been here not very long and hasn’t made any friends. She has coworkers and other students in her lectures, but no one that knows more than just her name. 

Beau, someone who was used to being distant, to being independent in everything she has made for herself, is completely and utterly lonely.

She doesn’t have much time to sit here and wallow in her own sadness. So, she stands up and heads to her room, passing stacked cardboard boxes full of her belongings and random shit she swiped from her parents house. Walking into her room and rifling through a small dresser for clothes, changing into a shirt with the sleeves skillfully cut off to show off her tanned and toned arms.

Beau grabs her gym bag and wallet before making her way into the empty space that would be the living room if the boxes had been unpacked. She grabs her keys from the kitchen counter and leaves towards campus.

-

It would probably be much easier to bring her stuff with her to class instead of walking home and back. Though the few minutes she allows herself in her apartment coughs up the bottled feelings, allowing them to fester. 

The emptiness makes more room to think and dwell, maybe she should start bringing her bag with her instead after all.

Arriving at the campus, Beau puts her bag into a locker and walks toward the free weights. Passing the stack machine a fairly built, but relatively small man. She acknowledges him and picks up weights.

Beau realized she didn’t have her headphones while searching her bag upon arrival so it looks like she gets to listen to the sounds of people working out and doing their own thing.

Beau doing her thing, everyone else doing their thing. No overlap and a bunch of strangers. No one to expect anything of her or know anything about her. While doing bicep curls she catches a conversation.

“My girlfriend is taking that class, she likes it so...” A girl in red leggings says to the guy next to her.

“Yeah, my buddy was saying it seems like something I’d like. I may take it next semester. Anyway are you free tonight?” 

They begin to make plans to go out tonight before Beau begins to tune everything out.

It’s so weird to hear people talking about their lives, making plans and having friends. 

God forbid a relationship, it all sounds so far away to Beau. 

Something so close, yet out of her grasp. She hadn’t done anything that felt “normal” in months. Hadn’t kept in contact with friends from high school. No girlfriends. Beau for the first time since she started college has let it sink in that she is oh so very lonely.

She suddenly feels so exhausted and she hadn’t been here for more than thirty minutes. She’d never leave a workout without a cool down, let alone before an hour has passed. She has an early class tomorrow anyway.

Putting the weights down and stretching slightly she takes a quick glance around the gym. Most people come with a partner. There are maybe three people here alone that are not her. The guy from the stack machine being on of them. 

Maybe she should go talk to him. 

No, he might think she’s hitting on him then she’d have to tell him she likes girls and then he’d give her a weird look and eventually leave. She’s overthinking and she needs to get home. Quickly grabbing her bag, Beau leaves the gym and begins her walk home. She considers stopping to get food, but decides she’s not really hungry. 

Walking into her apartment building she uses the elevator to get to her floor this time. Unlocking the door, walking in, locking it again, staring at the boxes, at the interior of her apartment, and then walks into the bathroom.

She looks at herself in the mirror. Her reflection looks like her, but she doesn’t feel like Beau.

Everything seems so much harder now that college started. High school was full of parties, getting in trouble and all around good times. People constantly talk about how college is always better. Doesn’t feel that way. There are still parties and she goes to them, but it doesn’t feel the same. There’s loud music, alcohol, and sex which is a good distraction and she feels good for a few hours.

Then it goes away and she has a new girl in her phone, which is a new number to block.

She crinkles her nose, like she’s disgusted with herself. She turns and leaves the room. Going into her bedroom she opens her laptop. Opening word and designing a simple flyer stating she needs a roommate. Deciding she’ll print it in the library and hang it in a few places around campus and in her apartment building.

She also goes across a handful of websites to put up an ad for a roommate before flopping onto her back on the bed. She throws her arms over her eyes and sighs. Maybe she’ll get a response from a cute girl. Or maybe she’ll get a new friend. 

Maybe she’ll get no one and have to run back to her parents begging for them to let her back in and try to be a perfect daughter again.

She laughs at that idea.

“I am never going back to that hellhole.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Im Syd and I want to start off with saying I am only on Ep 83 at the time of posting this! Will be caught up in the next 2 weeks or so! My editor and co-author, Mikey, however is caught up and has been for a while! He's my main inspiration so Im happy to work with him on this! The next chapter is written and just needs edited, it is Caleb centric and I apologize for the length of these first few chapters! Setting a base and shit! Comments and Kudos greatly appreciated and I hope you're ready for a long ride! my twitter is @4Ofive if you'd like to chat or anything <3


	2. Chapter 2

Waking up to a purring against his ear, Caleb immediately feels the warmth from the cat against the right side of his face. 

Rolling onto his side and facing the wall he sees his faithful companion, Frumpkin sleeping soundly. A bundle of blankets situated into a little nest for the cat while Caleb prefers his sleep without, the cold is inviting, especially when most nights he awakes much too warm and drenched in sweat.

Sleep doesn’t come easy to Caleb, but he also dreads what he might find in it.

Frumpkin’s orange eyes peer into exhausted blue ones while Caleb’s eyes flicker to the picture of a tiny, Frumpkin sized, window that Nott taped up after finding out that was the feline’s side of the bed. 

The edges of his mouth quirked upward into what could be considered a smile. 

Nott, Veth being her actual name, was already awake and making an ungodly amount of noise in the kitchen of the two bedroom apartment.

Caleb sits up and allows his feet to touch the ground. Slouched forward, he digs the heel of his palms into his eyes to officially wake himself up. Reaching for the nightstand he grabs his pair of scratched up glasses and pulls on some soft pajama pants given to him by Nott. He fiddles with the worn button bracelet around his wrist before standing up and walking out of the room.

Making his way down the short hallway he can see Nott... attempting too make breakfast. Smoke visible now, he rushes to the closest window to open it. Nott makes some sort of yelling noise and Yeza barges from the bathroom. Shower on in the background, Yeza walks out to the kitchen to turn the stove off and open the front door. 

Caleb scoops up Frumpkin who attempts to make an escape out, making a low murmured sound as he begins to pet the cat. Yeza smiles at Nott and kisses her cheek.

“Veth, why don’t we just go out to eat? Let me shower and you can get ready.” His voice is soft as always and he turns to Caleb.

“Would you like to join us?” His smile doesn’t falter when he looks at Caleb and it’s unsettling to think someone could look at him with so much warmth.

He feels the prickling sensation of guilt seep into him, he doesn't deserve the kind gaze Yeza so freely gives him.

“Ah, no thank you, I have a few things I need to do and you both deserve, uh, time alone.” Caleb finishes it off with a smile in Nott’s direction. 

She smiles back at him and walks over to him. Yeza nodding to Caleb after he starts to head back to the bathroom. Nott motions for him to lean down. Caleb, a good foot or so taller, bends his knees so Nott can reach up and touch his face.

“You know you don’t have to move out yet! We love having you around and it’s really no bother.” Caleb knew this remark from Nott wasn't true, they had begun talks of a family. They wanted a child and they’d need a bigger place to raise one, especially with Caleb currently residing in their other bedroom.

He’s only been living with Nott and Yeza for a year, and he felt selfish for it.

-

He was just starting his freshman year of college. Finally getting out of his home town, a dark place full of ghosts of the past and into a new city with new people. 

New opportunities and Caleb felt he should of been more excited, but it had been hard to find himself comfortable anywhere. 

Getting in on an academic scholarship was a blessing, but the unsettling feeling every time he set foot in the dorms was overwhelming. It’s not that he’s unwelcome necessarily, he just already felt as if everyone had him figured out. 

He knows he blends in with everyone and they don’t know him, but he can’t help but feel prodding eyes on him at all times, It felt like high school all over again.

The way he met Nott was kind of an interesting story he thought, it was around noon and he was trudging around town to find somewhere to study before a class. He had begun to cross a street and suddenly his head filled with an intense splitting pain, completely so intense that he felt himself fall unconscious the second it hit him.

He awoke up in the backseat of a car he had never seen before, there was a panicked and rushed speech from the front seat. He sat up and immediately felt a pain shoot up his right leg.

He groaned out in pain and the person in the driver’s seat yelped and hurriedly said goodbye to the person they had been talking to on the phone.

“Hello ahah, I know this is probably such a weird situation, but this can end up being a funny party story!” The woman, he gathered, began to laugh nervously as she made a sharp turn whilst his leg hit the seat and Caleb had to bite back a scream.

“Sorry! I’m trying to get to hospital as fast as I can!” The word hospital made his stomach churn, His arms had began to burn and ache once he realized he didn't have his sweatshirt on. 

Hospitals are expensive and bright, also in hospitals they have to know about you and who you are.

“Ah-“ His mouth was dry and his head pounded at the sound. “Why are you taking me to the hospital?”

“Are you serious? Buddy, I hit you with my car!?” The lady, who as Caleb craned his neck to look is rather short, spoke up again. 

Her voice is sweet, but there is something rough and almost shrill about it. “Uhm, well my name is Veth. What’s yours?”

“Uh, it’s Caleb. Caleb Widogast.” Fuck what time was it? He had a lecture at 1. 

He couldn't miss it. “I, I need to get to class, thank you for helping me, but I’m sure everything is okay.”

Veth peered back at him and he tried to smile, but his body hurt so bad. She shook her head and looked back at the road.

“No can do sir, you look rough. I am literally pulling into the hospital parking lot right no-“ Caleb didn't get to hear her finish before he passed out again.

-

Looking back at that now, it’s very on brand of Nott and him to have met in such a hectic and chaotic way. 

Apparently at the hospital she had some issues with his doctor, which she still won’t tell him about. From that moment forward him, Nott and Yeza were a little family, with him acting as a shoo-in son figure for them. Nott and Yeza has both been in their senior years at the college. So they took him in and helped him get back on his feet. He owes them so much and moving out is a step toward repayment.

Caleb watches Nott and Yeza leave for their date, then begins to go through his routine. He feeds Frumpkin, who makes noises of affirmation while chewing away, and makes sure he has water. Cleans up cups and dishes from the tables and rooms and starts the dishwasher. He fixes up the papers strew across the dining room table and gathers up trash.

He did a lot of cleaning in the apartment, not that it was a problem for him.

He enjoyed when everything was clean and organized.

He doesn’t shower but he does brush his teeth and hair before going back to his room to find clothes. Grabbing a long sleeved sweater which was a faded brown color, loose threads at the cuff which came to rest over his knuckles, and some pants. He enters the bathroom again to put in his contacts. 

Nott was the one who convinced him to get contacts after seeing how dirty and fucked up his glasses were. She says he’s handsome without his glasses, but he can’t seem to agree.

He looks at himself in the mirror. Shaggy, dirty, red hair and freckles that help hide acne scars. Dark eye circles and heavy bags. Not to mention his smile is crooked and his eyes are perpetually sad with their shape. His nose was fine. His skin is far too pale and his shoulders hunch forward in a slouch. Nothing handsome there. 

Maybe his scruff made him attractive? He couldn’t tell, it’s hard to look at himself without seeing the past.

He leaves the bathroom and grabs his keys from the dining table. Frumpkin jumps on the table to greet him and he scratches him behind the ear. Frumpkin purrs and flops onto his side on the table. Caleb laughs to himself before grabbing his bag and exiting the very full apartment.

Caleb begins the walk to the library, stopping at Dunkin’ Donuts to get a coffee. Starbucks is much closer but Caleb has an intimate relationship with Dunkin’. 

Also, the signature color always seems to remind him of a stupid decision he made in his freshman year.

He went to a party and hooked up with some guy, wearing the ugliest patterned green flannel he could ever try and dream up. Completely against everything he planned for his freshman year. Nott took him to a party, got him drunk, and let him act on some stupid impulse. I mean he didn’t even take off his clothes, but the hands on him finding out the truth. 

Touching every scar, every bump and every imperfection on his own body that didn't even seem to fit him.

Caleb shakes his mind away from the thought. All it was, was a little hook up with some closeted jock with an annoyingly flattering accent. He never even got a name so it shouldn’t matter to him anymore. It does though, he feels so gross and it makes him uncomfortable to realize how vulnerable he was in that moment. Not to mention Caleb took on a certain role he hadn't felt comfortable with anyway, if you knew Caleb you’d know that’s not something he would do.

It’s not that he didn’t enjoy it- it’s just- No, he’s not thinking about this now.

After getting his coffee and entering the library Caleb is hit with the familiar scent of old and new books. He nods at the man leaving and walks around the front desk toward the back of the library. 

He shares a simple greeting with Yorda who is behind the desk checking in books returned the night before. He walks into the tiny back office and sets his bag on the chair by the door. 

He rummages through the bag for his phone and books he needs to return. Checking in his books and turning his phone to silent, he grabs an armful of books and begins to shelve them.

A few hours passed since he shelved books and in that time Caleb started a new book and helped some kids pick out books. After waving goodbye to a young boy leaving with his mother, he made his way over to the front desk and caught the end of a conversation.

“Oh, yah, I can put these up on our board for you.” Yorda said to the woman holding a handful of papers.

“Thanks. Also if you, uh, have any like, job openings that flyer has my contact information, I worked part-time at a library in my hometown and I’m, just uhm, looking for a different job. So... yeah. Thanks again.” The woman turns around and walks away before Caleb can get a good look at her face.

“Hey, Caleb c’mere.” Yorda calls to him. He walks over to her and she hands him the paper from the woman who just left.

“Can you go but this up on the board by the door?” He nods and takes the paper. 

Scanning over it, he sees that “Beauregard” is in need of a roommate, someone that is like “a creep” or “an accounting major”. He quirks an eyebrow before pulling his phone out and taking a quick picture of the flyer. He staples the flyer up on the bulletin board and steps back reading it again.

Maybe things were turning up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm mikey i'm the co-author of this fic... i'm really excited to continue to work on this since me and syd have discussed it in length and finally getting shit done is so fun! i spent a lot of time editing it and yknow.. caleb widogast trans, anyway... hopefully we’ll have more chapters out soon and comments are always appreciated please enjoy this :-)


	3. Chapter 3

Spending the next few days putting up posters in a choice few public spaces and ads online, Beau was starting to get a bit of feedback from interested applicants.

She had looked through them and picked out a few to follow up on, but in the meantime she had still been regularly going to the gym after class and her shifts. She made easy conversation with the man she’d seen there the past few times.

He was, for lack of a better term, handsome, even though he was more pretty than anything.

Not that it was in some heterosexual way and she was attracted to him, but she could see the fact that it's not like he was awful looking either. He also spoke with a southern drawl that added to his charm, even though most of the time the charm she first assumed he had has been shut down in embarrassing situations the guy puts himself in, but who was she to judge a country boy.

She found out his name was Fjord and though he didn’t come to gym as often as she did they had set to meet each other at 5 p.m. on Wednesdays.

Beauregard took the lead in their work outs as Fjord finally admitted he doesn’t have an actual work out routine set up for when he comes to gym. They work on their arms together a lot and have mostly small talk. Beau tells him about her shift at Starbucks the other day or about her coworkers, one specifically she butts heads with constantly but he's kind of a self assured asshole with annoyingly bombastic purple hair.

He’ll listen and respond back then talk about this person he knows who posts videos on the internet and makes amazing pieces of art. Talking about some weird or crazy thing they did in the past week and Beau will laugh along to the stories. They even text sometimes outside of their weekly work outs.

He’ll text her and ask if there are any special drinks at Starbucks, by his looks you really wouldn't expect the way that he's always craving something sweet every time he orders something.

She walked out with him one night and she got to see the mess of a vehicle that he drives. She could’ve sworn the whole country boy thing was a joke, once again he’s far too pretty for that, but upon seeing his beat to hell and back pick-up truck, she’s sold.

He offered her a ride home, but after she saw another one of his ugly flannels in the passenger seat she kindly declined the offer.

Today was one of the days where Fjord couldn’t go to the gym. It was Monday and she texted him to see if maybe he would like to do a little bit of lifting or maybe a run, but his reply came back negative.

_"hey! sorry, can’t do much tonight, i’m holding two parts of a costume together while my friend glues it."_

Along with a slew of emojis, he always seems to pick the worst ones. He never uses autocapitalize either, it’s all very telling.

She cocks her eyebrow at this before texting back.

_“Theater major?”_

She assumes this is the artsy person he's always talking about. He types for a bit, then leaves and then types, then leaves once again. Eventually Beau sets her phone on her couch and goes to the tiny kitchen for water.

When she comes back her phone lights up.

_“close. she goes to an art school. actually she cosplays? i think that’s what it’s called. so i told her i’d help with this one. lol”_

A girl friend. She was curious as to what kind of girls he was around because the one he’s describing doesn’t seem like his type of crowd.

_“Oh cool cool... Is she your girlfriend?”_

He takes a while to reply.

_“nah, met her a few months ago at a party. not really my type y’know?”_

She nods to herself and begins to type before he gets another text from Fjord.

_“i have to go now, but we should definitely talk soon. call me tomorrow? maybe we can get lunch!”_

_“That would be cool! Let me know when you’re free. Have fun and send pictures of her cosplay I’m curious now."_

_“haha will do!”_

And with that Beau tosses her phone to the side and pulls the laptop that's cast off to her left over to her.

She begins to work on a research paper for her class before she checks her email. There’s new mail from someone interested in her want of a roommate.

She sighs before rubbing her eyes and she reaches up and undoes the topknot situated atop her head. Running her hands through her hair a few times she puts it back up more comfortable.

She cracks her knuckles out in front of her then looks back at her screen.

Beau opens her new email which reads:

_“Hello, I’m not entirely sure how formal this email should be, but I will do my best to sound professional. My name is Caleb Widogast and I am a sophomore at Zadash University. I’m an education major, going to school to become an English teacher. I work at the library downtown which is where I saw your flyer. I actually was the one who hung it up and since I have been needing to move out, this was the perfect opportunity. I’m not sure what all requirements must be met, but if you would like to meet in person to speak on this topic you have my email and my number is listed below. I hope to hear from you soon, and good luck with your search.”_

And sure enough contact information was listed below.

Beau did recall visiting the library to post a flyer. She visited the library often to study for school and for her own amusement. Not that she studies for her own enjoyment often or anything of that nature. She usually spoke with the main librarian, Yorda, but she has an idea of who this Caleb fellow is.

He’s tall, though slouching often, with ginger hair. He typically puts away books and helps children find new ones. He wears glasses that sit lopsided on a crooked nose.

Seems like a trustworthy enough guy.

She’ll ask Yorda about him before meeting him, though it's pretty obvious to her that they seem to be complete opposites.

She makes a note to reach out to Caleb after class tomorrow. The dude seems like the type to keep to himself, not like she has been any better as of late but, she's thankful that he's probably not an abrasive kind of man, he's got noodle arms anyway.

She wasn’t sure why but she had a good feeling from this, she hadn’t had that good gut feeling in a while.

Sitting up, Beau gets off her bed and walks out to her kitchen. Seeing the pile of mail on the counter she also makes a mental note to get today’s and tomorrow’s mail then go pay her bills.

Tomorrow was one of those busy days, full of work and tasks with no time to think for herself. She liked those days, on account she would be so exhausted she would pass out and get a full 8 hours of sleep.

Filling a glass with water she flops on to the couch and begins to scroll aimlessly throughout various social media, on the hunt for some media consumption as a means of escapism.

Her eyelids started to feel heavy as blinks seemed to last a little longer each time. Her phone beginning to buzz pulls her out of her half asleep state.

She looks at it to see texts from Fjord, seems to be a bunch of photos. Too exhausted to look at them right now she locks it and forces herself to stand up. Stretching her arms above her head she makes her way back to her bed to pass out.

-

Beau wakes up to her phone alarm going off with the annoying rhythm of beeps. She slides the off button on her phone screen whilst she contemplates falling back asleep but see her mass amounts of notifications and decides to get up.

Taking a quick shower since she hadn’t the night before and quickly drying her hair with a towel. She puts her hair up into her signature top knot and grabs her phone. Unlocking it and looking at her texts from Fjord.

_“hey, beauregard! here are the pictures of my friend, jester’s, cosplay!”_

The two images that followed after that text were of a shorter girl, at least from the angle, with beautiful dark skin. She was smiling brightly and her eyes crinkled. Her nose was scrunched and she had her hands posed under her chin like a flower.

She was dressed in a school uniform, it was dark blue, long sleeved with white accents. Her hair was a long brown with bangs and two long strands of hair framing the face and falling down to her chest. Along with that there were two pink bows situated on either side of the head. Dark blue socks that go up to mid calf area and brown shoes.

The other picture was the same but a different pose.

She had an orange stuffed cat tucked under one arm while the other arm was extended pointing out of frame and one knee bent with her foot in the air. Another bright and sweet smile adorned her face.

She was very cute. Almost too cute, Beau thought.

_“she’s dressed as a character named tohru honda (i had to look that up, shes from an anime, but all i’ve seen is dragon ball z)”_

She laughs at that text.

_“let me know what you think cuz she wanted to know what the pictures were for and i told her you asked to see. she also wanted me to ask if you watched anime lol"_

Which of course his text was trailed off with a bundle of emojis.

_“Tell her I think she looks super cute and yknow, very much like she's from an anime. Also I have only ever watched Naruto back when I was a kid so we're in the same boat ajkdjfhs”_

Beau immediately regrets sending that text once she realizes she keysmashed.

Who does that to a person they know in person, he probably doesn't even know what it means.

She scratches her cheek before checking the reminders she set for herself.

"Get mail, Pay bills, Respond to Caleb Widogast”

She sighs and walks to the front door. She grabs her keys and slips on a random pair of flip flops by the door. She takes the three flights of stairs down and meanders to her mailbox.

Unlocking and opening it, she pulls out a few letters. Flipping through them with uninterested ease one catches her eye. It’s one of those letters with the return address nicely typed into it already.

She immediately recognizes the address and tucks it under the rest of the mail. Turning on her heel she runs back back up to her apartment and slams the door behind her, almost tripping over herself on the way up.

Throwing the stack in mail on the kitchen counter she places her palms flat on the cool surface.

Her breath is caught in her throat, she feels like all of the tension she's been letting build up for months is going to explode, her shoulders schlump forward.

She shuts her eyes tight and presses both of the heels of her palms into them, trying to relieve the overwhelming pressure building up in her chest. Refusing to let tears out over that, over them of all people.

She takes a deep, shakey breath and stands up straight. Blinking her eyes a few times, Beau grabs the letter with trembling fingers. She opens it slowly and pulls out the card with a green trim. She reads the front.

“Happy Birthday Thoreau Lionett Jr.!” She sucks in a sharp breath looking at the first picture of her baby brother that she’s ever seen.

A little boy with unruly brown hair and happy smile is shown being held by her mother, with her father behind her. She turns the card around and reads the typed black text.

“Mr. and Mrs. Lionett would like to formally invite you to the second birthday party of their son, Thoreau Lionett Jr. ! Please use the information below to RSVP and let us know if you’re coming! Hope to see you there.” She laughs coldly to herself while shaking her head.

How kind of them to reach out now and for what?

To show off how happy they're with a son, rather than a daughter? Showing how better their life is with her gone?

She flips it over to look at the picture again, he was a cute kid and he was beaming with pure joy.

She begins rifling through her drawers then pulls out a pair of scissors. Beau cuts the picture out of the card, looking at it closer she decided to cut her mother and father out leaving just the young boy in the frame.

Throwing the scraps away she takes the picture with her into her bedroom. She pulls out a random book from her shelf and sticks the photo in the title page. She’s not sure why she’s trying to hide this picture, no one is here to see it.

Yet, she reminds her self while closing the book and examining the title. An Inside Look Into the Nuclear Family. How ironic.

Sighing, Beau composes herself and picks her laptop off the floor. Carrying it to the living room and setting up on the couch. Opening her laptop she opens up her email.

Ignoring her school inbox full  
of campus updates and switching to her personal email, she opens a new draft.

She types in the email address for Caleb Widogast and hopes to god this man isn’t a creep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> beau is fr that tweet that’s like “i think it’s funny when the gay barista gets mad” anyway! hey guys it’s syd :3 i finally caught up w cr two weeks ago and y’all? last episode? i’m crazy! anyway! we have up until chapter ten planned so stay tuned loves mwah  
> also removed widomauk tag i’ll re-add when we get to that area ... cuz like it’s gonna be a minor relationship! shadowgast end game?? i love essek


End file.
